Truth From The Lie
There's truth... Something every cat should be able to tell. And then there's the lie Something that every cat seems to do. But then... There's little truth in every big lie Then there's a little lie In every truth And it will change how cats '' ''Think about you. And the lie that you told To keep the truth '' ''From destroying your clan. Prologue In the dark night, the wind whistled through the trees, a cat muttered alone, with a kit by her side, looking at her carefully, watching her every move as if learning from her. The she-cat hissed, "What a fight that cat put up, that was annoying, I can't wait until I get my claws into one of those clan cats fur, it'll be the day they finally realise never to mess with me, the ultimate rogue, Malum!" She looked at the kit. "And of course, you, my little kit, you'll learn who's the real enemy!" Malum hissed gleefully, her piercing emerald eyes scorching through the night, looking for any signs of the clan cats. The kit made no sound, he only stared at Malum with confused and attentive eyes, his little tail flicking in curiousity. "Ah... Yes, the clan cats, they will definitely rue the day, they'll learn never to mess with my family." Malum hissed once again, stomping her paw onto the ground. The kit finally asked, in a flat, but squeaky voice, "I'm confused, Malum, what did they do?" Malum snapped at her son, "You know perfectly well what they did!" And she growled, "I see you get your ignorance from your weak father, good thing I killed him, I'm going to teach you how to be a real cat! Before you get killed too." The kit went silent again, and followed her through the dark undergrowth, they always hunted at night, but the kit never knew what they were hunting for. But one thing was always the same, it always ended up with Malum hurting a cat, and the cat would never stand back up, and the little kit always wondered why, the cat always had cloudless eyes, and stared as if they were in daze... But they never stood back up. "Let's see... The nearest clan would be Windclan, so I think we should start there, catch a cat alone, then we can send the warning." Malum growled, looking at the long and never-ending moorland, it's hills waving and moving with the wind. The kit just nodded, a bit amazed at this big and beautiful territory, the hills seemed to move as the wind blowed, and he followed Malum through the undergrowth, their paws stepping on smaller stalks. Soon they disappeared, among the heather. Chapter 1 Never ask a question You won't get an answer to It was a sunny day, the sun shone clearly, and the clouds moved across the sky slowly. It was a nice windy day, just how most of the Windclan cats liked it. Sunpaw, a she-cat, was watching the sky in silence, her eyes narrowed, and her tail flicking, and her light orange fur bristling. A young, pure white tom with deep green eyes, looked at her and asked, "What's the matter with you?" His green eyes narrowing in curiousity. "Oh? Nothing important, Wildpaw." Sunpaw looked at her friend, he was loyal, smart, and a good friend, but too curious for his own good. Not that it was a bad thing, just a very dangerous thing, because who knows what you might hear from some cats. Wildpaw just looked at her, obviously trying to find out if she was keeping something from him. He just shrugged and sighed, "All right." Sunpaw felt bad for lying to him, because what she was thinking about was important, very important. So important, that it could make the clan get destroyed on the inside, or explode, which wouldn't be very good. She was protecting Wildpaw, if they found out he knew what she did, he'd surely get killed, because Sunpaw was mouse-brained enough to tell him the truth. No, it was better if he was away from the secret, where he wouldn't get hurt. Wildpaw had walked away, tail flicking with betrayal, better to not know anything, then to know everything. Sunpaw sighed I should never have followed Mossfang! I know too much! Seen too much! Mossfang, I can't believe he's... A traitor... My own brother! ''She thought horrified. Mossfang was a warrior, a nosy, curious (In a bad way), pestering, annoying one. He liked to be in with the other clans, and rogues also, there have been a lot of rogues lately, especially around the clans, and not all of them were friendly. ''If Wildpaw found out... And they found out, my friends would all die because of me! ''Sunpaw flicked her ear in annoyance and terror, not wanting to lose her friends, they were too important to her, and she couldn't bear the thought if her friends died. Snowpaw, Wildpaw's obnoxious, hyper, sister, was padding up to Sunpaw, "Hey! You've been down lately! What's up?" she asked, her ears perked up. Ah, Snowpaw, now she was the one that could make you feel better about anything and everything, and wouldn't tell her brother anything that he doesn't need to know, especially Sunpaw's secret, which she was keeping from him for his safety. Sunpaw sighed "If we get assigned together for a hunting patrol, I'll tell you what's eating me," she froze, than growled "And you cannot tell Wildpaw! I didn't tell him for his sake." Snowpaw jumped "All right! All right! I won't tell him, but if it's so important and life-changing, he's going to find out anyways!" She yelped at her sudden hostility. Sunpaw calmed down, "I'm sorry, I just don't want to see him hurt because of me," she mewed, "You know how he is." "Of course I know how he is, he is my brother after all, but don't worry, I won't tell him." Snowpaw held her paw up, "I'm telling the truth!" She mewed very seriously. Sunpaw nodded, "Thank you, Snowpaw, I'm sure you don't want to see him hurt more than I do." She mewed. Snowpaw shook her head, and looked at Yellowtail, who was basking in the sun, and was staring at the two apprentices. Snowpaw laughed, "I think Yellowtail wants me to go training, see you later on patrol hopefully!" She waved her tail, and padded up to Yellowtail. Sunpaw nodded, and looked around for her mentor, Greenclaw, who was naturally spacey, and wouldn't know his left from the right, or his prey from a cat. Greenclaw was eating a mouse slowly, while looking at the bramble and heather walls that sheltered their camp from harsh winds, his eyes were glazed. Again, naturally spacey. Sunpaw padded up to him, and asked in an annoyed voice, "Greenclaw, didn't you tell me yesterday that we were going to do some battle training?" Greenclaw gave her a blank look, "I did?" He asked with confusion. "Yes, at exactly sun-high, right where you're eating!" Sunpaw mewed in exasperation. "Oh! Yes, well, I'm sick with something, Fallowtail said I should rest for a while, maybe Yellowtail, or... Blackfrost, can let you train with their apprentices." Greenclaw mewed, than went back to staring at the wall while chewing on the mouse. "Oh... Al-All right," Sunpaw mewed, rolling her eyes. She saw Snowpaw and Yellowtail near the camp entrance, their tails flicking and in deep conversation. She ran up to them, not seeing young Icekit playing with a pebble, bad mistake. Sunpaw tripped over him, he squeaked as he was brought with her, and they tumbled towards Yellowtail and Snowpaw, who were watching with confusion. They stopped in front of him, Sunpaw with her muzzle in the earth, and Icekit on top of her with an annoyed face. "Sunpaw! Why did ya go and do that!?" Icekit whimpered, jumping off, "You lost my pebble!" He cried, looking around. Sunpaw shook herself, "Your pebble is where you left it, Icekit!" She mewed gently, flicking her tail to the scuffed earth where they both tripped. "Ooooh." Icekit mewed in realization, running to his pebble, and furthur ignored Sunpaw. Yellowtail and Snowpaw were looking down at her with amusement and annoyance. "Oh, heh... Hi, can I come training with you?" She asked with laughter, seeing the look on Snowpaws face. Yellowtail hesitated, then shrugged, "All right, just remember to pay attention!" She mewed in a strict tone, "I'm not Greenclaw." Sunpaw nodded "All right!" ''I'd take Yellowtail over Greenclaw anyday! She thought. She followed Yellowtail through the heather, to the training rock, where the apprentices usually trained with their mentors. Yellowtail bounded on the rock, "Show me your hunting crouches!" She mewed, looking at them with sharp emerald eyes. Snowpaw and Sunpaw looked at each-other, then Sunpaw crouched, her tail lifting from the ground, her whiskers inches from the ground, and her hind quarters down. Yellowtail mewed, "Good, good, Sunpaw. Snowpaw, remember to keep your tail down near the ground." Snowpaw growled "Show off!" playfully, and put her tail where it was supposed to be. Yellowtail yawned, "Okay you two, enough of that, you are to go hunting together, I will be right here waiting, make sure to watch for rogues!" Sunpaw and Snowpaw nodded, and jumped into the heather. "Are we far enough away?" Snowpaw asked, looking back. "Yeah." Sunpaw mewed, and sat down, "All right, do you promise not to tell Wildpaw?" She asked. "Sheesh, Sunpaw, I promised!" Snowpaw mewed "I said I was telling the truth!" Sunpaw sighed, "Remember when Blackfrost sent me to hunt?" "Yeah." "Well, I was hunting, and I ran into Mossfang, and he was talking to a strange rogue, who kept hissing about revenge," Sunpaw mewed, "Mossfang promised he was going to help her get rid of the clan." "Getting rid of meaning kill right?" Snowpaw mused. "Probably, she said her name was Malum, and she had a kit with her too!" Sunpaw mewed. Snowpaw flinched, "Ouch, I feel bad for the kit." She mewed. "Yeah, and Mossfang saw me, and told me if I said anything to anyone, and he found out, he would kill them," Sunpaw shuddered, "That's why I don't want Wildpaw finding out." They both went silent, the wind had changed course, the scent of blood was on the air, but the moor was silent, not a screech of pain, not a yowl of terror, just the blood. Snowpaw looked at Sunpaw confused, "Eh? What's with the sudden smell of blood?" She asked "Did a prey hunt go wrong? Must be very torn up right about now." Sunpaw sniffed the air more deeply, ''No... it doesn't smell like prey, even thought here is a hint of bird, but, more cat.... I feel like I should recognize the scent... But I don't, that, or the rabbits near here are clouding my scent. ''She flicked her ear "Maybe we should investigate!" Snowpaw mewed, she always loved adventures, in a good way, but again, also very dangerous to think. Sunpaw bristled, that was certainly not prey blood, there was too much, but she nodded, and followed the scent, hoping that Snowpaw was following. She don't think she could explore this on her own. As they continued walking, the smell of blood got stronger, and so did the scent. They looked around, the heather seemed to get more dreary, and soon, they stopped, and they both called, "Hello!?" Snowpaw whimpered, she bristled even more, "That scent... I know who it is..." Sunpaw looked around "I can't even tell, the scent of blood is too strong." She mewed annoyed, flicking her tail. "I can tell who it is, because it's my family..." Snowpaw muttered. Sunpaw froze, looking at her, "No..." "I smell two cats..." Snowpaw muttered, looking into the under growth. They suddenly broke into a run, they soon got to sharp rocks, a little area with sharp rocks, good shelter on rainy days when your stuck out hunting, or when you need to be alone. They froze when they saw all the blood, which was everywhere, there was a very large fight here not too long ago. "Blackfrost?! Wildpaw?!" Sunpaw called horrified. Wildpaw answered, "Sunpaw... Is that you...? Or a rogue that sounds like you?" He sounded hurt. Sunpaw jumped when Wildpaw limped out, his white fur stained with blood, and his eyes flat, "That rogue came out of nowhere." He rasped, coughing up some blood. "Oh my Starclan! Are you all right?!" Snowpaw exclaimed, her eyes widening. Wildpaw looked at her, "Well, I'm fine.. But..." His mew faltered, and he went silent. He flicked his tail and finally continued, "Blackfrost isn't." They followed Wildpaw, and they saw Blackfrost's mangled, torn body, his flank was still, and his eyes reflected the sky, he was dead. Sunpaw watched horrified, and looked at Wildpaw, and asked, "R-Rogues did this?" "One." "One?!" Sunpaw stared at Wildpaw who was looking at his paws, "How can one rogue take on trained cats?!" She exclaimed. "I don't know, Sunpaw... I really don't, I don't think Blackfrost was expecting them either." Wildpaw mewed quietly. Sunpaw, Snowpaw, and Wildpaw just stared at Blackfrost's body, not really sure what to do. "Hah, I was right! I knew you mouse-brained clan cats would be silly enough to investigate!" A sharp, cruel voice mewed behind them, "Like little kittens curiously investigating a rapid river, only to fall!" They whipped around quickly, and she glared at Wildpaw, "I see you survived, ah well, I'm going to finish you, then move onto the two she-cats!" And she laughed. Sunpaw bristled, while Snowpaw whimpered, backing up slowly, staring at the she-cat. "Too bad... A couple of young strong spirits being wasted with silly clan-life." She mewed in mock sadness, and she unsheathed her claws, looking at Sunpaw. Sunpaw growled silently, narrowing her eyes. "I see, yes... Strong spirits." The she-cat hissed, turning to Snowpaw. Snowpaw whimpered, hiding behind Wildpaw, staring at the large she-cat, her eyes wide in fear. "Scared of me little kitty? Going to hide behind your clan-mate for protection? Hmph, and I heard that all clan cats were brave." She hissed. Wildpaw guarded Snowpaw, and Sunpaw yowled, "You leave her alone!" "What's your name?" the rogue asked, suddenly taking an interest in Sunpaw. Sunpaw growled, "Don't change the subject!" She unsheathed her claws. ''Snowpaw can't fight very well, and Wildpaw is pretty beat up. ''She thought, knowing if it's going to end up in a fight, she'll probably be fighting alone. The she-cat mewed flatly, "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," she then looked at Wildpaw, "And I might spare your friends slowly fading life." Sunpaw looked at her confused, then looked at Wildpaw, who looked shaky, and his eyes were glazed, he shook his head and growled, "It's a trap." Sunpaw looked at the rogue though, unsure. "Well little kitty? Should I just kill your friend now?" She turned to look at Wildpaw, who was still standing over Snowpaw. Sunpaw was quiet, and the she-cat hissed, "Hm... I see... Well, since you're going to die, I might as well," she pufffed out her fur and growled, "My name is Malum, and I'm here to destroy the clans!" She then fully turned to Wildpaw, and her claws unsheathed, and her eyes narrowed. Snowpaw looked at Wildpaw, who nudged her, "Go, Snowpaw..." He murmured to his little sister. Snowpaw shook her head, "What about you?" She asked, staring at Malum, with a horrified look on her face, "I don't want to lose you!" Malum hissed, "Let's finish this!" She leaped, claws outstretched, and Sunpaw watched with horror as Wilpdaw was tackled to the ground, forcing Snowpaw to back away. Malum had Wildpaw pinned, he was weakened enough as it is, and now Malum was going to finish him off. Sunpaw growled, leaping for her throat, and managed to cling on her back, taking her by surprise. Sunpaw growled, clawing her ears and her back as fierce as she could manage, trying to get her away from Wildpaw and Snowpaw. When Malum and Sunpaw tumbled away, Wildpaw had began to stand up, but thought better of it, and stayed where he was. Malum pinned Sunpaw, "Think you can kill me little kitty? Hah, you wish!" She hissed in her face, aiming for her throat. Malum froze when a voice muttered, "That's not wise, Malum, never thought I'd see you again, after what you did..." Malum whipped her head around, a huge black tom was sitting on one of the rocks, his thorn sharp claws unsheathed, and watching the fight curiously with curious moss green eyes, "I thought you had enough confidence to take on whole clans... I guess not..." "Hey, you be quiet!" Malum hissed, leaping toward him. He seemed to disappear in a flash, and laughed softly, "You really think you can take me on? You must be joking! You know you can't kill me." Malum suddenly got nervous, "I-I'm not stupid enough to do that! You're just like me, except-!" She yelled in horror, cutting off her sentence. He was standing over Sunpaw and he mewed, "Now.. Malum... How about we settle this another day, without these young apprentices of course." His deep green eyes were staring at Malum, who was slowly starting to back away. Malum growled, then looked at Sunpaw "You better watch your tail young one, because you're crow-food now!" She growled, and ran off. The tom sighed "You three better get home." He mewed, then seemed to disappear into the shadows of the heather. Sunpaw had a blank look on her face, a bit confused on what just happened. After some time of silence, Snowpaw commented, "You look like Greenclaw." Sunpaw finally broke out of her daze, then looked at her two friends. She got up and ran over, "Wildpaw! Are you all right!" She asked in a worried tone at the state of her friend. "Fine? Yeah..." He coughed, shaking his fur, finally standing up, "Who was that?" He asked, looking at where the strange tom was moments before. "I'm not sure..." Sunpaw faltered, amazed by the strange toms speed and agility. And the way he scared that she-cat, Malum, so easily. Snowpaw echoed her amazement, "Wow... That was something else! I mean... He was really fast!" Her eyes were wide. Sunpaw had nodded very slowly, her eyes wide in amazment. Wildpaw grunted, "Well should we get going? I'm pretty sure we don't want to get stuck out here being dumb-struck squirrels because of a tom that knew how to fight against... Whatever her name was..." he drifted off, and started walking back to camp. Sunpaw nodded, and followed him, even though Sunpaw saw Snowpaw hesitate, staring at the bushes with shock and amazement still on her face. "Come on, Snowpaw!" Sunpaw mewed to her friend, and continued walking. "C-Coming!" Snowpaw called, and ran up to them, "Wow... I wish I could fight like that!" She mewed, eyes sparkling. "If you paid attention in training, you wouldn't have to have me protecting you all the time." Wildpaw mewed, eyes narrowed. Sunpaw was staying silent, unsure about the strange tom that saved her... She got a weird feeling, like there was something off about him. Soon they got to camp, all the cats had worried looks on their faces, and some of the senior warriors were pacing. Yellowtail looked up, "Hey!" She growled, bounding toward them "Where have you been?" Sunpaw mewed, "Well, Wildpaw and Blackfrost got attacked by a rogue." She flicked her tail. Wildpaw added, "Blackfrost is dead," he sighed "I couldn't do anything, he told me to go hide, I did, and the rogue went to go hide somewhere." Snowpaw mewed, "Then she came back, but a pitch black tom saved us! She was scared of him!" She bounced up and down. "A pitch black tom?" One of the elders asked, his eyes raised in confusion, "And why would he scare the rogue?" He flicked his tail. "I don't know, but he did, and wow... He was really fast, the rogue couldn't even get him." Sunpaw answered, still amazed. The elder was still looking deep in thought, his eyes set in a grim expression, "I thought you died a long time ago..." He muttered to himself. Sunpaw looked at him confused, and asked, "Who? Who died a long time ago, Fallowfire?" Fallowfire looked at her, "No one that you need to be concerned about, Sunpaw," he growled, flicking his tail "It must be a different cat... The cat I'm talking about died a long time ago." Sunpaw just looked as Yellowtail growled, "Dead? Blackfrost is dead?" Skymoon, a pure white tabby, poked her head out of the warriors den and asked, "Eh? What's going on?" Yellowtail whipped around and growled, "Blackfrost is dead!" Skymoons eyes widened, "D-dead?" She rushed out to face Wildpaw, and asked, "Wildpaw, is he really dead?" She flicked her tail. Wildpaw nodded, still tired from the fight, "Yes, he's dead." He mewed. Skymoons eyes softened, "Are you all right?" She asked, worried for her son. Snowpaw mewed, "It was so scary..." She shivered, bristling. Wildpaw nodded, "I'm fine, few scratches, nothing to worry about." He mewed, nodding to Skymoon. Skymoon sighed "All right, and... You said you were saved by a pitch black cat?" She mewed as she looked at Fallowfire, who had a glazed look in his eyes. Snowpaw nodded "Yes, that's exactly what happened." She mewed. Sunpaw looked at Fallowfire, the old cats sandy coloured fur surprisingly sleek for an old cat, but his eyes told a different story, they were always filled with sadness and loneliness. Skymoon looked softly at Fallowfire, "It could be him, maybe... Your other family members are still alive." She mewed. Fallowfire shook his head, "No... I saw my older siblings die, and my younger sibling disappear... I know... I'm never going to see them again." He sighed. Skymoon could only watched as he huffed away, his green eyes hurt. "Why does he look so sad?" Snowpaw asked Skymoon. Skymoon sighed, "He just misses his family, he's not used to being alone." Even though she only looked like she sympathized, Sunpaw saw her eyes also flash with sadness. Skymoon sighed, and walked away. Snowpaw muttered, "Ask a complicated question you get a simple answer." Category:Fan Fictions Category:Birdpaw's Fanfictions